Locking device for windows



July 26, 1955 I L. P. LEWGOWD 2,714,033

LOCKING DEVICE FOR WINDOWS Filed Feb. 25, 1952 Sa- I l )l a $3 INVENTOR.LAWRENCE P. Lzwcowo ATT RNEY United States I attests Patented July 26,1955 ice LGCKENG DEVICE FQR WlND-SWS Lawrence P. Lewgowd, Gary, Ind.

Application February 23, 1952, fierial No. 273,066

1 Claim. (til. 292-605) This invention relates generally to locks orfasteners and more particularly is directed to a locking device which ispreferably adapted for use in connecting a pair of complementary windowsashes or other sliding members together.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide a lockingdevice embodying improved principles of design and construction.

An important object of the invention is to provide a locking devicewhich is comprised of a minimum number of durable parts or componentswhich can be economically manufactured and assembled.

A significant object of the invention is to provide a locking device, sodesigned and constructed that it can be easily and quickly installed orapplied to any of the conventional window sashes now in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a locking device with aspecial key, the arrangement being such that when the device is unlockedthe sashes can be manually moved relative to one another to any positionor positions desired, and then locked together.

evice also affords a setup whereby the sashes can be locked together forsimultaneous movement so as to leave or provide an opening to admit airabove the upper sash or below the lower sash or at both of theselocations.

More particularly, an object of the invention is to provide a lockingdevice comprising a pair of fittings adapted to be respectively mountedon the sashes, a rod normally carried by, but detachably connected toone of the fittings, and means carried by the other fitting for lockingthe rod thereto, the arrangement being such that when the rod is solocked it will at the same time be locked against disconnection from thefirst-mentioned fitting. In other words, the lock on one fitting willprevent disconnection of the rod from both fittings.

An additional object of the invention is to so construct the componentsor parts of the device and attach them to sashes in such a manner thatthe device for all practical purposes cannot be removed from the sashesor rendered inoperative by tampering by anyone within or outside abuilding.

A specific object of the invention is to provide means which may beinset in the sashes to provide durable seats or sockets for the screwsused in securing the fittings to the sashes.

A further object of the invention is to provide a looking device inwhich provision is made for utilizing detachable rods or members ofdifferent lengths so that the device can be readily applied to sashes ofvarious lengths or heights.

Many other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentafter the description hereinafter set forth is considered in conjunctionwith the drawing annexed hereto.

In the drawing, wherein the preferred embodiment of the invention isillustrated and the various components are identified by the samenumerals in the difierent figures of the drawings:

The locking Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the various parts ofthe locking device;

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the locking device applied towindow sashes for locking them in closed positions;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, depicting the sashes lockedtogether to provide a space above the upper sash and a space below thelower sash;

Figure 4 is a sectional view illustrating inset means which may be usedto provide a seat for any one or all of the screws employed in attachingthe fittings to the sashes;

Figure 5 is a key used to lock and unlock the device; and

Figure 6 is a view of a rod that may be substituted for the one shown inFigure 1.

The various components or parts of the locking device may be designedand constructed as desired, but as exemplified in the drawings, itpreferably includes a lower angular fitting 1 secured to an inner lowerwindow sash 2, a rod 3 projecting upwardly from the fitting, an upperfitting 4 secured to an outer upper sash 5, a guide 6 intogral with thefitting 4, and a locking element 7 carried by the guide for locking therod in any desired position with respect to the fitting 4. The sashesare of a conventional character and mounted for vertical movement in aframe 8.

The lower fitting 1 includes a pair of legs or right angular portions 9and 10. The leg 9 is provided with a pair of corresponding countersunkholes 11, through which screws 12 extend. The leg 10 is provided with acountersunk hole 13 for a screw 14. The free rear extremity of the leg10 is provided with a threaded aperture 15 which detachably receives thelower threaded end of the rod 3. When this fitting is attached by thescrews to the upper left corner of the lower sash as shown in Figures 2and 3, the rod will extend vertically upward in spaced parallel relationto and in back of the left side or stile of the upper sash.

The rod is preferably made round in cross-section and constructed of adurable material such as brass or steel. Although not essential, the rodmay be provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced notches orinterruptions 16 for selective cooperation with the locking element 7 toeffect a more positive locking action at such locations. Morespecifically, entry of the locking element into any one of the notcheswill positively prevent both relative longitudinal and rotationalmovement between the rod and the fittings. Locking the members againstrotational movement has the distinct advantage of preventingunauthorized attempts to unscrew the rod from its fitting and support 1.

The upper fitting 4 includes a leg 17 and the guide 6 integraltherewith, which is offset outwardly therefrom and provided with anopening 18 which slidably receives the rod 3. This offset guide isprovided with a threaded aperture 19 within which the locking element 7is disposed. The locking element is preferably made in the form of ascrew having a hexagonal socket 20 at its outer end for detachablyreceiving a key 21 of corresponding configuration, as shown in Figure 5.The key is provided with a loop 22 to which a tab or handle 23 ispreferably loosely connected. This tab may be manipulated to an angularposition with respect to the loop to increase the leverage whentightening and loosening the locking element. Although various forms oflocking elements may be utilized, the element exemplified, has provenmost satisfactory because of the difiiculties encountered by anunauthorized person in finding or shaping an instrument to fit thesocket 20. It is also obvious that due to the character of the lockingdevice, small children cannot find a way to operate the element.

The leg 17 of the upper fitting is provided with a pair of countersunkholes 24 through which screws 25 and 26 extend for attaching the fittingto the left side or stile of the upper sash. Attention is directed tothe important fact, that when the rod is disposed over the screws 25 and26, as shown in Figure 3 it is impossible to remove the screws with aregular screwdriver. Thus, the rod provides an obstruction whichprevents removal of this fitting.

Although the length of the rod illustrated in Figures 1, 2, and 3 hasproven most desirable for most installations, it is to be understoodthat a longer rod may be used, and that a shorter one, as shown inFigure 6, may be sufiicient for the purpose.

In view of the foregoing, it should be manifest that when the lockingdevice is rendered inoperative by loosening the element 7, the sashesmay be manually shifted or moved relative to one another. Also, itshould be noted that the upper fitting 4 provides a positive stoplimiting the distance or travel the sashes can be moved travel may bereduced by locating the fitting 4 lower down on the sash.

Due to this limited or predetermined travel, it may be impossible for aperson within a building to clean the outer upper surface of the glassof the lower sash and a person on the outside of a building fromcleaning the inner lower surface of the glass of the upper sash. Inorder to permit the cleaning of such glass surfaces, it is necessary toremove the upper fitting 4 from the upper sash. Depending on the lengthof the rod used and the length of the sashes it may also be necessary todetach a the rod from the lower fitting. The lower fitting 1 need not beremoved, unless desirable when painting or refinishing the sash.

Since the upper fitting 4 will, in all probability, be removed aconsiderable number of times, any screws extending therethrough into thewood of the stile will eventually damage or destroy the threads made inthe wood by the screws. In order to prevent such damage, a metal seat orsocket 27, as shown in Figure 4, is preferably provided for one or bothof the screws 25 and 26. Each seat is of tubular construction andexteriorly threaded as indicated at 28 for threadedly engaging the sidewall of a hole 29 provided in the sash. The outer end of each seat ispreferably provided with a slot 30 for a screwdriver so that the seatcan be driven to a position substantially flush with the exteriorsurface of the sash as shown, Each seat is also internally threaded toreceive the threaded shank of the screw 25. The seats have When theproven very practical in use for the purpose mentioned, and althoughseats are preferably employed for the screws 25 and 26, seats may alsobe provided for similar screws to attach the lower fitting 1 to the sash2.

It is to be understood that the locking device may be attached tosliding closure members other than window sashes and that it may beapplied to the right sides of sashes in lieu of the left sides as shown.

In view of the foregoing, it will be apparent that the inventionprovides a novel device whereby window sashes can be locked in closed orvarious open positions to prevent unauthorized entry into a building andwhich, to all intents and purposes, cannot be rendered inoperative byanyone inside a building except by the use of a special key. Theinvention may be employed wherever applicable, but has proven mostuseful in preventing small children from falling through open windows.

Having thus described my invention, it will be obvious that variousmodifications may be made in the same, and that i do not wish to limitthe scope of the invention, other than by the claim appended hereto.

1 claim:

A locking device of the kind described comprising a first fitting havinga rearwardly extending horizontal leg and a depending leg, a rod securedin an upstanding position to the free end of the horizontal leg, a holeprovided in one of the legs so that fastening means can be insertedthrough the hole for securing the fitting to the upper part of a lowerwindow sash, a second fitting having an upwardly extending leg and anoutwardly extending ieg respectively disposed in parallel relation tothe depending and rearwardly extending legs of the first fitting, saidoutwardly extending leg being provided with an opening through which therod slides, a hole provided in the upwardly extending leg of the secondfitting through which means can be inserted to secure this fitting inpiace on the side rail of an upper sash, said last mentioned hole beingplaced in back of the rod so that a securing means extendingtherethrough cannot be removed when the rod is in front thereof, saidforwardly extending leg of the second fitting being provided with athreaded aperture extending endwise into the leg, and a screw seated inthe aperture and engageable with the rod for locking the second fittingon the rod.

References (liter! in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS115,260 Wilmot May 23, 1871 344,888 Whidden July 6, 1886 386,938 Snyderet al July 31, 1888 436,841 Pinard Sept. 23, 1890 627,096 Bradley June20, 1899 645,213 Prindle Mar. 13, 1900 2,018,346 Busby Oct. 22, 19352,120,788 Riccelli June 14, 1938 2,553,459 Klein May 15, 1951

